Dennis Passingham, 46, with no fixed address, has been sentenced to ten years in prison with an additional five years on an extended licence following a brutal home invasion in Basildon.
Passingham pleaded guilty at Basildon Crown Court to charges relating to a terrifying attack on a woman in her 60s.
On the night of Saturday 6 June, Passingham forced his way into the victim’s home on 1 Hills, Basildon. He knocked on the door before entering and then violently threw the terrified woman to the floor. He dragged her to the living room, knelt on her back, and smothered her until she lost consciousness.
He proceeded to bind her hands with a dog lead, stole £20 and her bank card, and threatened her to obtain the PIN. When the victim attempted to escape, Passingham dragged her back inside, pinned her down, tied her wrists again, threatened to stab her, and gagged her before fleeing the scene.
After the attack, Passingham used the victim’s bank card to withdraw £250. He was later arrested and charged with robbery and fraud, to which he pleaded guilty.
Detective Constable Natalie Backhouse of Basildon CID said: “This ordeal was truly terrifying for the victim who was violently robbed in her own home. Not only did he threaten her, but also bound and gagged her, dragging her back inside when she tried to escape.”
“It’s hard to imagine how frightened she must have been, and she will likely never feel the same about her own home. The sentence properly reflects the violence of this attack. Passingham is no longer on our streets.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
